About IASST

The International Association for Safety and Survival Training was founded in 1980 by a group of major safety training providers whose aim was to enhance the quality of emergency response training by encouraging an interchange of knowledge and experience between training providers on a global basis. Since those early days, the membership has expanded dramatically into a truly international organisation with worldwide representation.

Within the Association there is a wide variety of expertise, which encompasses universities, nautical colleges and scientific institutions, as well as both privately and publicly owned safety training schools, professional organisations and manufacturers of all types of safety equipment.

The majority of the members are drawn from the nautical profession; including shipmasters, deck and engineering officers, marine pilots and coastguards, as well as staff from rescueco-ordination centres. In addition, there is also representation from firefighting, medical, aviation and offshore oil occupations.

Many of these people are now involved as lecturers and instructors at establishments that provide safety training for seafarers, offshore oil workers and aircrew.

This broad spectrum of accumulated maritime knowledge allows the IASST to offer unrivalled expertise in the following areas:

Lifesaving appliances and other safety equipmentTraining techniques International Association for Safety and Survival Training

Sea survival

Firefighting

Search and Rescue

Emergency communications

Medical care

Damage control

Marine crisis management

Offshore emergency control

Fast rescue craft handling

Environmental protection and pollution control

All of our members have a common interest in promoting and improving the safety culture of maritime personnel throughout the world. Upgrading skills and competencies in emergency response training by means of instructor exchanges and free circulation of information has always been high on the IASST agenda. Technical assistance from the membership is thus International Association for Safety and Survival Trainingreadily available for organisations wishing to develop and expand their operation. In addition, advice from the membership can also be offered to government bodies and other national/international organisations not directly involved in training.

Training providers who wish to become members of the IASST should make a formal application via the Secretary, who will supply the necessary forms.Only training providers that have the necessary training facilities, qualified instructors and have gained approval for their courses from recognised national or international organisations may become full members of the Association. The granting of full membership must be recommended by at least one member of the Management Committee. This may involve an audit of the applicant's facilities and activities.The final decision on any membership application will be made by the IASST's Management Committee at one of the biannual meetings.

Associate membership may be granted to training providers that have not yet achieved the required standard for full membership or to individuals or other organisations whose businesses or interests are related to the field of maritime emergency response training and education.

Purpose

The IASST is an association of safety and survival training organizations whose mission is: To facilitate the exchange of information on matters relating to safety in the maritime environment and to promote continuous improvement in safety and survival training internationally.

The IASST aims to improve safety and survival training by sharing of best practice information between its members.

Educational lectures

The IASST is an association of safety and survival training organizations whose mission is: To facilitate the exchange of information on matters relating to safety in the maritime environment and to promote continuous improvement in safety and survival training internationally.